Apple wants $279 to fix your $299 HomeView, so you better not drop it
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I was genuinely excited when Apple announced the HomeView. A 7-inch smart display from Apple sounded like something I would happily put on my kitchen counter. Then Apple published its repair prices, and my excitement took a nosedive.
Why does a repair cost almost as much as a new one?
The HomeView is up for pre-order at $299, and Apple will start delivering it on November 13. You can choose from two versions. The standard one has its own stand and packs a louder speaker, while the other is meant to hang on your wall. Both cost the same, yet Apple expects wall-mount buyers to buy the mount and power adapter separately. So, you’ll have to pay extra for the very things that make it a wall-mounted device in the first place.
If the ridiculous pricing wasn’t enough, the repair costs will surely puncture your enthusiasm. Crack your HomeView without AppleCare, and Apple will ask for $279 to fix it. That’s only $20 less than buying a brand-new unit. Even worse, Apple lumps every possible problem into a single category called “Other damage.” It doesn’t matter if you break the screen or the speaker stops working, as you’ll pay the same amount.
The lack of any breakdown makes me think Apple has no plans to actually fix these devices and will simply swap out the whole unit. Apple hasn’t confirmed this either way, which doesn’t inspire much confidence.
Is AppleCare+ the only sensible option?
AppleCare+ owners get off much easier. They pay a flat $39 accidental damage fee, and it doesn’t matter which model they own or how they broke it. AppleCare+ for HomeView will set you back $2.49 per month or $24.99 per year.
On paper, that’s a good deal, and honestly, it probably is. But I don’t love that a device sitting on my counter or hanging on my wall practically needs an insurance plan to avoid a nasty bill. It feels less like an optional extra and more like a hidden part of the price.
If you’re pre-ordering the HomeView, I’d budget for AppleCare+ right away. I’ll also be watching to see whether Apple eventually splits its pricing into specific repairs, because a single catch-all fee helps nobody.
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